Shoppers line up early for Black Friday deals

Jeffrey LaMonde | Times PhotoFrom left: Molly McTaggart, Meghan McTaggart, and Kirsten Wilson - all of Bay City - take a rest while waiting in the checkout line at Younkers, 4131 E. Wilder Road, early this morning. Despite warnings of a slow retail season, shoppers were still lined up early in hopes of scoring a deal.

If you didn't know better, you would have thought the economy was in good shape this morning after seeing the thousands of people line up early for Black Friday door buster deals.

The Younkers store at the Bay City Mall, which opened at 4 a.m., had about 60-65 people waiting in line outside at 3 a.m. Once the doors opened, more than 300 people pushed their way into the store to take advantage of the deals.

Most large department stores opened anywhere from 4 a.m. to 6 a.m.

"We got here at 3 a.m.," said Carol Budvan of Hampton Township, who was first in line. "There are lots of specials today, I'm probably going to the electronics."

Donna Rulapaugh of Pinconning, who came with Budvan to shop for her four grandchildren, was planning on looking for toys and blankets.

"After this, I am planning on going to Wal-Mart, Kmart, Toys "R" Us and Sears," she said.

Budvan and Rulapaugh both set a limit for their spending, but did not say what it was.

J.C. Penney, which also opened its doors at 4 a.m. at the Bay City Mall, had hundreds of people storm in to scoop up the best deals on toys and jewelry.

The hot items at Younkers were the bedding, on sale for as little as $20 for any size down comforter - originally priced from $120-$160 - as well as electronics, which are a popular item every year according to Kendra Marshall, store manager.

"The comforter is a blowout item every year," she said. "We will probably sell 300-400 of them today."

Marshall said the store typically remains a mad house until about 2 p.m. She said once shoppers leave, the store looks like a war zone.

"I've worked about 20 Black Fridays," she said. "We are expecting more people actually ... because of the economy and the great deals and everything going on."

Target, located at the Bay City Mall, opened at 6 a.m. but had lines numbering in the hundreds by 5 a.m., while Wal-Mart, 3921 E. Wilder Road, had about 40 people in line by 3 a.m. for its 5 a.m. sales.

And while most Black Friday shoppers admitted to having their eyes on particular items, some just went for the experience and to see what they could find.

"I'm just looking for anything that's on sale, good deals," said Jay Blackwell of Bay City, who planned to cut off his spending at $175.